Steam-boiler



J. B. WARD. Steam Boiler.

Witnesses Q I Zia #5 4 N.FETERS, PHQTG-LITHQGRAPMER. WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED A STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN'B. WARD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

STEAM-BOILER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,874, dated August 31, 1880.

Application filed December 15, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. \VARD, of the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to certain improvements in steam-boilers and superheaters, and

refers particularly to improvements on the device for a similar purpose for which application for Letters Patent was filed July 17, 1879, and allowed August 8, 1879.

My improvements consist in certain details of construction, whereby perfect circulation of the water in the boiler is accomplished by the water being drawn from the colder portions of the boiler to that where greater heat is obtained.

It also relates to a peculiar means by which the steam is dried and superheated while in the boiler, so that the cylinder of the engine will receive dry steam direct from the boiler at each stroke of the piston, as is more fully described in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse section of a boiler showing my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Let A represent an ordinary return-flue ma riue boiler, having the usual fire-places B and ash-boxes (J. In addition to the usual flues D, I place at certain stated intervals along a cen tral horizontal line in the boiler supplemental flues E, each of which is surrounded by a tube Orjacket, F, as shown. Communicating with the interior of this tube or jacket F are upright pipes G G, extending down to the water in the bottom of the boiler and up toward the surface, as shown. The object of this construction is to cause a constant and regular circulation of the water in the boiler, in order that it may generate steam rapidly.

It is well known that ordinarily the water-in the central and upper part of the boiler becomes heated more rapidly than that below, and that the lower water is usually at a less degree of temperature than that above. My object in the construction of the supplemental flues with their jackets is to establish such a circulation as shall constantly draw the water from below and pass it into the central and upper heated portion of the boiler. Each one of these flues E is surrounded by the jacket or tube, the water in which is, of course, kept separate from that im mediately surrounding it in the boiler. As the water in this jacket becomes heated by the flame in thetube it natit rally rises to the surface through the pipes G, and the fresh supply for the jacket is drawn up through the pipes G from below, and, in turn, heated and discharged above. In this way all the colder water at the bottom and lower sides of the boiler is first drawn to the center, where it receives an accession of heat, and then sent to the surface, and a constant and rapid circulation is kept up within the boiler by this means, so that the steam is very rapidly generated. No connection with the water in the boiler is allowed from these jackets F except through the pipes G G, although the jackets themselves are surrounded by heated water.

I- do not wish to confine myself to placing these supplemental tubes with their inclosingjackets in any specified position in the boiler, but put them in any part Where it is practicable to extend the vertical or inclined tubes or pipes G G. For this purpose the regularity of the usual lines may be broken at suitable intervals, whenever required, in order to interpose the supplemental fines, with their jackets and conducting or circulating pipes.

At any suitable point in the upper part of the interior of the boiler is placed a series of superheating tubes or flues, I, surrounded by pipes or jackets J, with a spacebetween the flue and jacket, as shown. I have shown four of these 5 but a greater or less number may be used, as desired.

The space between the flue and jacket connects by pipes a with tubes K K, which, in turn, are connected by pipes b b with the chambers or drums L L on top of the boiler. Gentrally placed between these chambers is the steam drum or dome M, connected with the oppositely-placed chambers L L by means of the pipes N N, provided with check-valves c c, as shown.

The object of this construction is to furnish dry or superheated steam to the cylinder without the intervention of any outside superheating apparatus.

The operation is as follows: The upper part of the boiler, above the flues and surface of the water, is filled with steam, which carries water in suspension in a greater or lessdegree. This steam rises into the steam dome or drum M, and at each stroke of the piston, as hereinafter described, the steam in this drum passes through the pipe N into the chamber L, the check-valve opening to allow it to pass into said chamber. From this chamber L the same operation of the piston causes this web steam to pass down the pipe b into the tubes K and through the pipes a into the jackets or tubes surrounding the flues I. It is here subjected to the superheating influence exerted by the heat, flame, and products of combustion passing through the flue I from the fire-place to the stack, and the watery particles are by this accession of heat thoroughly vaporized and suddenly expanded. The next stroke of the piston in the cylinder of the engine opens the valve, and this dried and superheated steam passes out of the jacket J up through the pipes to, tubes K, and pipes 1) into the chamber L, and thence through the throttle-valve 0 into the cylinder. The check-valves may be raised when a very rapid action of the piston is in progress withoutin terfering with the operation of the superheating device. I

It will be readily seen that the steam is both generated and superheated in the body of the boiler without leaving it at all, and that a freshsupply of dry superheated steam is provided for the cylinder at each stroke of its piston. Every time the piston moves and opens the valves a fresh supply of wet steam is allowed to pass into the jacket, which is immediately superheated, and at the next stroke passed directly into the cylinder.

The check-valve c comesinto play when the boiler is in operation and the throttle-valve of the engine is closed. Then when the steam is superheated it will pass up into the chamber L through the pipe N and check-valve c, and into the drum M again, a constant circulation being thus maintained even when the engine is at rest. The valve 0 acts at each operation as an obstacle which separates the wet or saturated steam from that which is dry or superheated in the superheatingjacket, as described.

Flanges d are formed in the ends of the jacket-tubes, by which they are bolted or riveted in place, and at the points where they occur bolts, rods, or braces for strengthening may be dispensed with.

The superheating portion of the device is applicable to any type of boiler, while that for increasing the circulation of the wateris more particularly adapted to the marine type. The superheatin g and circulating devices may therefore be used separately when desired.

The tubes inclosed by the jackets will not be subject to the deposition of scale to as great a degree as the ordinary flues, since there is so constant and rapid circulation of water around them, it never remaining at rest. These tubes may, however, be cleaned as readily as those of the ordinary type and in the usual way.

It will be evident that any of the ordinary flues of the boiler may be covered by the jacket which has the circulating-pipes, and it will not be necessary always to put in special flues for this purpose; but they must bein such a position as to admit of the jacket and circulatingpipes being suitably connected, as described.

(Jocks may be placed in the pipes N N on opposite sides of each of the check-valves c 0, so that steam may be shut off and the valves examined or repaired at any time.

In the superheating and circulating tubes the flame and heat and products of combustion move in an opposite direction to each other, the steam and water thus receiving a gradual accession of heat. The superheatingtubes may, of course, be placed below the level of the water in the boiler without impairing their action.

By superheating the steam in the boiler in the manner described no loss by radiation occurs, as when the superheating apparatus is outside. The steam is used immediately after superheatin g, only so much being superheated at once as will fill the cylinder. No heat is therefore taken from the boiler to be radiated and lost.

A water-cock may be placed in the chamber L to admit water to the jacket J while steam is being raised, to prevent the inner tube, I, being burned; or a damper may be used to close the said flues while steam is being raised.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a steam-generator, A, in combination with the flues E, thesurroundi n g jackets F, provided with the upwardly and downwardly extending pipes G G, whereby a more perfect circulation of the water in the boiler is maintained, substantially as herein described.

2. In combination with a steam generator or boiler, A, the superheating tubes or flues I, with their jackets J, placed inside the generator, as shown, said jackets connecting by pipes to with the tubes K K and pipes b b, leading to the chambers L L on the boiler, these chambers being connected with the central drum or dome, M,by means ofpipes NN, having checkvalves 0 0, whereby the steam is superheated and dried within the boiler and before leaving it, and a fresh supply of dry steam furnished to the cylinder at each stroke of the piston, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. In a steam generator or boiler, A, the steam-superheatin g tubes I, with their jackets J, connecting pipes and drums L L M, when said superheating-tubes and jackets are placed within the water-space of the boiler in which the steam is generated, and constructed and operated substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN B. WARD.

Witnesses:

CHAS. G. YALE, S. H. NoURsE. 

